CD #12: Get your rocks off

Well, here we finally are... Welcome to June’s edition. Get your Rocks off fellow DJs! First of all, apologies for the slight lateness of both the CD and liner note contribution – I already have DJ Pants breathing down my neck eager to post July’s notes...

Anyways, after a lot of ‘umming and ahring’ as we say here in the UK I came up with this slightly odd mix of songs... I have an organic approach to making these mixes and never really know where I will end up once I start. This certainly was the case for this CD. I suppose I was prompted by a major concern: there seemed to be a distinct lack of rock music in this years’ CD club contributions (apart from the russian hard-rock song the memories of which still take me back to that Russian Bar for DJ Pant’s wedding in Ottawa... ).

Now don’t get me wrong, I am no longer a long haired, headbanging youngster getting off of cock-rock, however there are a couple of bands that still rock my world and take me back to the good old days of cheap thrills helped along by cheap cans of beer, wine, or benzol!! I also added a couple of more recent favourites into the mix. I hope you enjoy it!

1) KYUSS – Freedom Run
I know what you are saying – “Shit opener – too long, too weird. And what’s with the guitar wanking??” To be honest, you are probably right. However, I do love this tune – and it’s played by a 19-year old Josh Homme on lead guitar who later went on to form Queen’s of the Stone Age. So, get your rocks off to some mid-90s LA Psychadelic Metal – I certainly still do.

2) Fu Manchu – Urethane
I love these guys. Formed shortly after Kyuss split up, they produce honest good rock. This song is perfect for cruising along the motorway in a heavy duty vehicle and gets my juices flowing – certainly when the bass kicks in. It’s particular good when loud!!

3) Queens of the Stone Age – If only
This has got to be one of their best tracks – if little known. Released a good 10 years ago on their debut album it’s dominated by the very catchy lick and Josh Homme’s eerie voice. Rock’n’Roll!!

4) Sloburn – Pilot of a Dune
This is the last installment of Desert Rock on this CD. Sloburn unfortunately didn’t have a long shelf-life and only produced an EP entitled ‘Amusing the Amasing’ which I think certainly makes the top 10 of all-time greatest EP/Album names. Either way, it’s the last of the Desert Rock on this CD. To be honest, I probably could have gone on to include some numbers by Monster Magnet, Masters of Reality etc. but thought i’d diversify slightly.....

5) System of a Down – Toxicity
I don’t really know much about these guys – or even like a lot of their stuff. However, a couple of tunes stand out – including this one.

6) Presidents of the USA – Dune Buggy
These guys have their own distinct sound – using low-tuned guitars. Despite being a lot more famous than Morphine (next tune), they were influenced by Morphine rather than vice versa. Great tune!

7) Morphine – I know you (part III)
This band is a bit of a mystery. Despite all the right ingredients, mainstream success never happened. Maybe this is why i’m so keen on them. They are the musical enactment of how I imagine morphine to be – not that I am tempted. Their career was tragically cut short when their front man collapsed and died on stage in 1999. What a way to go man – truely rock’n’roll!!

8) Ben Harper – Oppression
Similar to DJ Cola I could have produced an entire album of Ben Harper tunes. He is one of my favourite contemporary artists. In fact I only recently saw him in Hyde Park. If you ever get the chance to see him play you should – he’s really worth his salt. Funnily enough he is virtually unknown in the UK and I found myself surrounded by Aussies and Kiwis at the gig in Hyde Park...

9) Arctic Monkeys – From the Ritz to the Rubble
This bunch of teenage rockers took the world by storm a couple of years back on release of their first album. What makes them stand out from the masses of other equally talented indie bands are their formidable lyrics as well as Northern wit. It comes as no surprise that Alex Turner – their front-man – was featured in the Guardian’s ‘Great lyricists’ along the likes of Bob Dylan or Morissey. The music critics here are lapping it up – and so am I.... Luvin it!

10) 16 Horsepower – Black Soul Choir
Here I musically salute the contributions of my fellow DJs Cola, Wordplay and Cucumbah with a quick stop in the world of alt-rock. Chaps, you should really check out 16HP if you don’t already know them. Quality stuff – this tune being one of my favourites. A great video too (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO9My5_H6dg)

11) The Coral – Pass it on
One of the most under-rated bands in the UK today. Heralding from Liverpool, they connect to the city’s great musical heritage of Skiffle and Irish Folk (this is pre-Mersey Beat). Some great melodies and nice harmonies. A pity they’re a bunch of miserable men when performing.... Their music is anything but....

12) SixNationState – Just Hide Yourself Away
This is a bit of a personal choice – I just want to big up these guys as I used to be their drummer. They are now signed and have released an album... not only that, but they managed to win DJ Pants over with their great live performance in Cambridge a little while back. Who knows, I may still go down in rock history as the Pete Best of SixNationState.
I really hope you enjoy this. It’s taken from an early unreleased demo – but I think you’ll still be able to appreciate the vocal ability of the lead singer.

13) Kyuss – Space Cadet
So, we’re into the final part of this voyage – and I felt it was time to bring it back to the blues... This is a very untypical track for Kyuss – but likalble nevertheless. Good for those hot summer evenings...

14) Stephen Stills – Black Queen
I put this on not only because it’s a good tune – but it’s also got a great catch-phrase in it... I’m sure you’ve alread spotted it. But I must agree with Stephen when he says ‘One thing the Blues ain’t.... is funny’. Tell ‘em how it is man!

15) Gomez – Get Miles
These guys are a little known band from Ilkley in Yorkshire. No-one could believe these guys were a bunch of pasty students when listening to the opening tack of their debut album in 1998. The guys voice is something else....

16) Kings of Leon – Milk
Getting dangerously close to the mainstream now – but took this often over-looked gem from their critically acclaimed 2004 album ‘Aha Shake Hearbreak’. Did I menion I am going to see them in Brixton Academy in a couple of weeks????

17) Red Hot Chilly Peppers – Road Trippin’
I once got a mix tape for my birthday and this was the last tune on it... It’s a great way to end this collection I think and will hopefully make up for the slightly ‘riskey’ opener. I must say that, similarly to the Chilly Peppers themselves, my age is showing as the CD has got more and more mellow as it goes along. I still hope you are enjoyed it.

Rock On – DJ Style!